Vehicle track sanding device



Sept. 6, 1966 M. A. MILLER VEHICLE TRACK SANDING DEVICE Filed March 22, 1965 INVENTORI MILFORD A. MILLER ATTORN EYS.

Sept. 6, 1966 M. A. MILLER 3,271,051

VEHICLE TRACK SANDING DEVICE Filed March 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. MILFORD A. MILLER W, 76/1, r/ im ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent C) 3,271,061 VEHICLE TRACK SANDING DEVICE Milford A. Miller, 8035 S. Euclid Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60617 Filed Mar. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 441,801 2 Claims. (Cl. 291-14) release the abrasive material, either where the pave-.

ment is more or less slippery over a long stretch, or Where a normal pavement is likely to contain scattered or infrequent patches of ice.

A further object is to incorporate one of the controls in the brake of the motor car, so that the usual tendency to slow down where driving is hazardous will be accompanied automatically by a release of abrasive material in the path of the motor car wheels.

Another object is to design the other control in the form of a pull-knob handy to the driver of the motor car and responsive to secure the release of the abrasive material when a patch or strip of slippery pavement is approached or anticipated.

A still further object is to connect the hand and foot controls for use optionally, according to the condition of pavements in one locality or another, with means for disconnecting the foot control where slippery spots are infrequent.

An additional object is to utilize the luggage compartment space for the storage of the abrasive material, and to employ two hoppers at points adjacent to the rear wheels of the motor car for dispensing the abrasive material directly in front of each wheel.

Another object is to employ a connection procuring the feed of the abrasive material at multiplied speed.

An important object is to construct the novel device along lines of simplicity and to be mostly removable from the luggage compartment when the winter season is over, so that such compartment may serve in its usual capacity.

A better understanding of the invention maybe gained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a motor car, partly in section, showing the anti-skid device installed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view;

FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the foot control shown in the lower left-hand portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlargement of a drive connection shown in the lower right-hand portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a fragmental enlargement of abrasive dispensing means shown in the right-hand center portion of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a section on the line 88 of FIG. 7.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 15 denotes the body of the motor car, 16 the dash, 17 the brake pedal, and 18 the luggage locker.

The improved anti-skid device employs two hoppers '20 for storing the sand, loose cinders, or other abrasive material desired for skid-prevention use. Two hoppers are used because each can be placed near to one of the rear Wheels 22 of the motor car to dispense the abrasive material directly by way of a nozzle 23- in front of the related rear wheel, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also, the use of two relatively small hoppers instead of one 3,271,061 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 large one is more suitable for luggage lockers of modern design, which have a low top. The hoppers are connected at the top by a cross-bar 24. A bolt 24a fastens the cross-bar to a center strip 25 secured to the front wall 15a and floor 15b of the luggage locker, as indicated at 15c and 15a, respectively; and a valise clasp 27 serves as a locking device for each hopper to its stationary nozzle 23. When the winter season is over, the bolts 15c and 15d are removed, and the clasp 27 uncoupled. The hoppers may now be lifted off their nozzles as a unit, and carried away to a place of storage, leaving ample room in the luggage locker for other articles.

The material dispensing means for each hopper is a paddle-type valve 30 slidable in the bottom of the hopper,

' as seen in FIG. 7. The valve is ordinarily held closed by a compression spring 31 connected to the stern 30a of the valve, the spring being contained in a casing 32, which is secured by a bracket 32a (see FIG. 7) to the stock of the related nozzle 23.

A line 34 from the front of the motor car is drawn forwardly to procure the opening of the valves 30. FIG. 3 shows that the line is divided with branches 34a and 34b directed to the valves, each branch passing through a multiplying gear arrangement 36 illustrated in FIG. 6 in order to accelerate the opening of the valves; and the rear ends of the line branches 34a and 34b connect with the valve stems 3011 as indicated at 34c in FIG. 7.

FIG. 1 shows that the line 34 leads forwardly into the frontal motor car compartment and the dash 16 to terminate with a pull-knob 37. A branch 39 for the line 34 is attached by a clamp 40 (see FIG. 5) to the shank 17a of the brake pedal 17, the rear end of the branch 39 being attached to the line 34 by a spring clasp 42. Thus, the branch may be disconnected from the line 34 by uncoupling the clasp.

It is now apparent that, connected as shown, the present anti-skid device will dispense the abrasive substance every time the brake is operated, the amount released varying according to the extent to which the brake pedal is depressed. This indicates that the more urgent the control the more abrasive material will be dispensed, creating a high resistance to skidding. However, where slippery areas in a pavement are infrequent, the operation just described would be wasteful by dispensing the abrasive material over areas where the pavement is normal. Therefore, where less hazardous driving is in prospector icy spots are rarethe brake connection 39 may be uncoupled, and the pull-knob 37 used at will whenever a slippery area appears ahead. The connector 39 may also be uncoupled when the hoppers are removed, in order to avoid operating the valve 30 and parts leading thereto needlessly whenever the brake pedal is actuated.

It will now be apparent that the novel anti-skid device has features of utility, convenience and economy beyond the common concept of releasing an abrasive substance ahead of vehicle wheels. First, the twin hopper installation is compact and removable as a unit at the end of the winter season to restore the luggage locker for storage use. Further, the use of twin hoppers allows each to be located adjacent to the related motor car wheel, facilitating a direct flow of the abrasive material in front of the wheel. Further, the multiplied speed for the valve control procures an instant release of abrasive material into the dispensing nozzles 23. Further, the branched frontal controls, when connected, provide an automatic safeguard when driving over slippery terrain, allowing the driver to keep his mind on traffic conditions, while contented that his car is protected against skidding. Finally, the present device is made up of units which are inexpensive to procure and assemble, whereby to make it possible to fabricate the device at reasonable cost.

I claim:

1. An installation for the luggage locker of a motor car for releasing an abrasive in front of the rear wheels thereof, comprising a pair of nozzles mounted in the floor of the locker above said wheels, hoppers mounted above the nozzles, valves controlling communication between the hOppers and the nozzles, a strip between the hoppers with ends removably attached to the front and bottom of the luggage locker respectively, and a cross-bar carried by the strip and connecting the hoppers at the top, the detaching of said ends enabling the hoppers to be raised off the nozzles as a unit.

2. An anti-skid device for motor cars comprising container means in the back part of the motor car for an abrasive substance releasable in front of the rear Wheels, a valve in the bottom of said container means, a line from the valve in forward direction with a branch leading to the brake pedal and a second branch leading to a point near the steering post of the motor car, a pull-knob for the second branch, and means to disconnect the first branch from the brake pedal.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 865,941 9/ 1907 Ran 291-6 1,002,365 9/1911 Burke 291-36 1,342,316 6/1920 Weise 294-34 1,491,199 4/1924 Chapman 29114 1,509,029 9/ 1924 Phillips 291-14 1,524,789 2/1925 Johnson 291- 34 1,833,084 11/ 1931 Liedberg 29115 1,995,249 3/ 1935 He-ssler 29115 2,036,030 3/1936 Feins 291-15 2,507,738 5/1950 Spatz 29134 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

B. FAUST, H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiners. 

1. AN INSTALLATION FOR THE LUGGAGE LOCKER OF A MOTOR CAR FOR RELEASING AN ABRASIVE IN FRONT OF THE REAR WHEELS THEREOF, COMPRISING A PAIR OF NOZZLES MOUNTED IN THE FLOOR OF THE LOCKER ABOVE SAID WHEELS, HOPPERS MOUNTED ABOVE THE NOZZLES, VALVES CONTROLLING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HOPPERS AND THE NOZZLES, A STRIP BETWEEN THE HOPPERS WITH ENDS REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO THE FRONT AND BOTTOM OF THE LUGGAGE LOCKER RESPECTIVELY, AND A CROSS-BAR CARRIED BY THE STRIP AND CONNECTING THE HOPPERS AT THE TOP, THE DETACHING OF SAID ENDS ENABLING THE HOPPERS TO BE RAISED OFF THE NOZZLES AS A UNIT. 